Israeli protests intensify on the ground, settlers take to cyberspace

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
18 Jul 2023 11:01

Widespread protests are taking place across "Israel" today with many protestors aiming to cause disturbances across means of transportation, demonstrate outside government buildings, and disrupt various websites and applications.

Israelis protest against plans by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government to overhaul the judicial system scuffle with police in "Tel Aviv", Occupied Palestine, Tuesday, July 18, 2023. (AP)

Protests across Israeli-occupied Palestine continue as thousands of Israeli settlers blocked off the main roads in "Tel Aviv". Today's protests were urged as part of the "Day of Resistance" aimed at showcasing mass opposition to the judicial reforms, which revealed a deeply-rooted divide among the settlers.

Protestors have closed off the entrance to the Ministry of Security building, according to Israeli media, which also reported that thousands have blocked access to the "Tel Aviv Stock Exchange" and hung a banner reading "We save the economy."

Information circulating reveal that demonstrators sought to cause disturbances at several train stations, demonstrate outside the public Labor Union building in "Tel Aviv," and organize a demonstration on "Kaplan Street," which is one of the main centers of the protest.

Israeli media reported that the Israeli police warned of an increasing “possibility of a physical confrontation" between those opposing the judicial overhaul and settlers that support it.

In turn, many travelers expressed their fear of not being able to reach Ben Gurion Airport due to the ongoing protests.

Demonstrators began blocking the roads in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Throughout the day, the protestors will focus on disrupting transportation, including trains. However, in the evening, Israeli media reported that the protests will be focused in "Kaplan" and other protest centers throughout "Israel".

At the same time, protesters employed in the Hi-Tech field announced they will attempt to disrupt the activity of websites and applications through the creation of a "Technological Disruption Headquarters", which will lead to planned digital activism.

One protester explained that "just as it is on the streets and roads, in our time of emergency, the protest must also be felt in the digital space," explaining that “the planned measures will legally affect popular applications and websites on the mobile devices and computers of every Israeli, so that everyone thinks, at least for a few minutes a day, about the government’s planned destruction of democracy.”

At about 7:00 am, a demonstration began in "Bima Square" in "Tel Aviv" where protestors marched across the city. Protesters proceeded, later on, to block Road No. 531 near "Kfar Saba" and "Raanana".

According to the demonstrations' schedule, at 9:30 a.m protests began in nursing homes and sheltered housing, as well as a demonstration in front of the Labor Union building in "Tel Aviv", with the aim of pressuring its president, Arnon Bar-David, to announce a strike against the judicial reforms.

During the next phase of Tuesday's protests, demonstrations will be held in front of the Jewish religious courts.

The protesters' efforts will focus on the train stations, which will witness broad participation starting on Tuesday afternoon, especially at the train stations in "Haifa", "Binyamina", "Herzliya", "Tel Aviv" and "Lod".

Walla! news' Hebrew website quoted one of the protest leaders, who chose to remain anonymous, saying that they "will not order the demonstrators to interfere with the normal work of the trains, but" when many demonstrators turn up, this may be what they will do.

In the evening, demonstrations will be held on "Rieger Street" in "Beersheba", in "Herzliya", in occupied Al-Quds, in front of the US Embassy in "Tel Aviv", and in other places as well.

The protest will be held in front of the US embassy, in conjunction with the visit of the Israeli President, Isaac Herzog, to the United States.

It was also reported that the protest leadership is considering taking further measures in front of the US embassy at the end of the week.

Israeli settlers see a possible civil war in 'Israel': Survey

Israeli news website Maariv published, on Monday, a survey conducted by the "Israeli Center for Democracy" on the protests and in preparation for the completion of the legislation on reducing the "reasonableness" clause --a bill that limits some powers of the Israeli Supreme Court.

According to the newspaper, the survey revealed that 45% of settlers believe that there is a high possibility of a violent civil war erupting in "Israel" in the foreseeable future. The survey also showed that 43% of Likud voters believe that the judicial amendments should be abandoned "to enhance national unity," while 70% of respondents considered protests in front of elected officials' residents to be legitimate.

Simultaneously, Brigadier General Amir Avivi said that the decision of some reservists to abstain from service, in protest of the judicial overhaul, endangers the security of "Israel" and the unity of the IOF, Israeli news website Maariv reported on Sunday.